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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22377343">Anger Management</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/actually_its_cady/pseuds/actually_its_cady'>actually_its_cady</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Jagged Little Pill - Morissette &amp; Ballard/Morissette/Cody</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 14:54:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,086</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22377343</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/actually_its_cady/pseuds/actually_its_cady</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>MJ knows how hard the trial is for Bella, and introduces her to a new activity to get her anger out.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Anger Management</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi! Thanks for reading!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>MJ took a tentative step forward and knocked on the Fox family’s door. She heard shuffling inside, and then the door creaked open to reveal Bella, who was still in sweats even though it was well past noon. Wordlessly, she opened the door and allowed MJ to come inside. As she stepped through the front door, MJ took in the sight in front of her- Bella, shoulders slumped, mascara under her eyes, blanket around her shoulders.</p><p>“Is your mom home?” MJ asked cautiously.</p><p>“No, work”, said Bella quietly.</p><p>In her head, MJ couldn’t imagine leaving her daughter to go to work after her daughter had just testified against her rapist. If it was Frankie…</p><p>MJ stopped herself from finishing that thought and walked into the kitchen while Bella trailed behind her. Plopping a bag on the counter, MJ started to unpack the food she had brought for Bella.</p><p>“I… I didn’t know what you would be in the mood for, so I kind of did a variety”, MJ explained while taking out dishes of quiche and taco salads.</p><p>“I’m not in the mood for anything” said Bella without looking up at MJ.</p><p>MJ was startled by Bella’s sharp response, but stuck her course.</p><p>“Honey I know you’re not hungry but you need to eat something”, she said softly.</p><p>Bella sighed and grabbed a muffin from the counter before walking over to the couch and sitting down heavily. MJ finished stocking the fridge with food before sitting on a plush chair diagonal from Bella.</p><p>Bella looked… awful, MJ thought. Then again, MJ couldn’t imagine that she herself would be in much better shape, if she had done what Bella did yesterday. If MJ had been able to grow a pair and testify, she thought, then she would probably be a wreck too. </p><p>They sat in silence for a few moments while Bella picked at her muffin before MJ spoke again.</p><p>“How are you holding up?”</p><p>Bella looked at her blankly before saying “I’m not”.<br/>With that comment, MJ’s heart shattered. She knew exactly what Bella was going through, although having to relive that experience in front of a judge and a courtroom full of people must have brought every memory from that night rushing back to Bella’s mind. </p><p>“Do… do you want to talk about it?” MJ probed gently. Together with Steve, they had started paying for Bella to see a therapist, something they knew Bella’s mother would never be able to afford. Bella had been going, as far as MJ knew, but MJ also knew that sometimes it was better to talk to someone who had been there before. </p><p>Bella looked down at her muffin, lips quivering, eyes starting to fill with tears. Through all of this, no one had really, truly asked about how she was doing. She had suddenly become the face of a movement, but it was a lot to handle, and no one could really understand what she was going through.</p><p>Except MJ.</p><p>“I’m just… so tired. Of all of this. I just want it to be over” Bella started.</p><p>MJ nodded silently, allowing her to continue. </p><p>“I’m tired of answering questions about it and I’m tired of reliving it and I’m tired of having to look at his stupid fucking face and know that he’s fine.” Bella was talking louder now, clearly getting more agitated, while MJ sat and listened. </p><p>“And I’m just so fucking tired of having to think about it all the time. And I’m angry. Angry at him and angry at myself and the world and I just hate it” Bella said.</p><p>“I know, honey, I know”, MJ said quietly.</p><p>Bella looked up from her muffin at MJ, who was looking at her with all the sympathy of the world in her eyes. That alone made Bella burst into tears.</p><p>Immediately, MJ got up from her chair and moved to Bella’s side, sitting next to her while Bella leaned against her and sobbed. MJ rubbed her back and just held onto Bella, trying to help her move through everything she was feeling. </p><p>Once Bella’s crying had faded to the occasional sniffle, MJ glanced at her and said, “Get dressed. In workout stuff.”</p><p>Bella looked at her, confused, until MJ said “Just trust me”.</p><p> </p><p>And Bella did trust MJ. She had been there for her through every step of this process, and she was helping with the legal fees because she knew Bella’s mom couldn’t afford it on her own.</p><p>Bella peeled herself off the couch and returned a few minutes later in leggings and a tank top. MJ grabbed her keys off the counter and walked out the front door with Bella following behind.</p><p>“Where are we going?” Bella asked once they were in the car.</p><p>“You’ll see”, said MJ.</p><p>A few minutes later they pulled up to a gym. MJ swiped her ID and said something at the lady to the desk, beckoning Bella to follow her. They went down a flight of stairs and MJ opened the door to reveal a room full of kickboxing equipment. Confused, Bella followed MJ into the room.</p><p>“Have you ever done this before?” MJ asked Bella while handing her a pair of gloves.</p><p>“I… have not” Bella said laughing.</p><p>“Once I got out of rehab and I decided that I actually hated SoulCycle, I started doing this instead” MJ started while helping Bella lace up her gloves. “It’s a great stress reliever. You can just hit shit until you’re tired”.</p><p>With that, she led Bella over to a punching bag that was suspended from the ceiling. </p><p>“Hit it”, MJ said. “Hard”.</p><p>Bella lifted her right arm and weakly punched the bag while side-eying MJ.</p><p>“Not like that, hit it like you mean it!”</p><p>With more power this time, Bella punched the bag, sending it swinging backwards.</p><p>“There you go!” exclaimed MJ.</p><p>When the bag came back towards her, Bella hit it again. And again. And again. She wasn’t sure how long she was punching for, but by the time she was tired she was sweating and red in the face. </p><p>“I come to a class here twice a week” MJ said, “if you… ever want to join.”</p><p>“I think I would really like that”, Bella replied.</p><p>As they left the gym, MJ looped her arm through Bella’s on the way to the car. Bella knew that the next few weeks would be horrible, but at least she had MJ by her side to help her through the worst of it.</p>
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